Current Students

Graduate Student Policies

Doctor of Physical Therapy Program

The Graduate School and the Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training establish policies and procedures governing graduate study in the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program. Each student in the DPT program is responsible for understanding and adhering to the policies and procedures of the Graduate School and the Department of Physical Therapy & Athletic Training.

All students are to adhere to the minimum continuous registration policy as follows:

Minimum Continuous Registration

All graduate students must maintain minimum registration from the time of formal admission through completion of all requirements for the degree they are seeking unless granted an official Leave of Absence (see Leave of Absence below). Students not on campus and not using University facilities are not expected to register for summer term. If students do not comply with this continuous registration policy and do not obtain an official Leave of Absence, their supervisory committee is terminated and their records are inactivated. To reactivate a file at a later time, the student is required to reapply for admission to The Graduate School.

Doctor of Physical Therapy Degree

Students maintain minimum registration by

Registering and paying applicable tuition and fees for at least three credit hours per semester during the academic year from the time they are admitted to The Graduate School until they have completed all requirements for the degree.
Registering for three credit hours of Independent Study (course number 7990) during any semester in which they are not otherwise enrolled. Students who take their last examination after the final examination period and before the next semester begins are not required to register for the next semester. They will graduate the semester all Graduate School requirements are fulfilled. Students maintaining minimum continuous registration have library privileges, health insurance options, and access to athletic facilities.

Leaves of Absence

Students who wish to discontinue their studies for one or more semesters (other than summer term) must file a Request for Leave of Absence form with the chair of their supervisory committee. Before being forwarded to the Graduate Records Office for approval by the Dean of The Graduate School, the form must be approved by the supervisory committee chair and department chair. Requests may be granted in the following circumstances:

Leaves of absence generally are granted and reviewed on a yearly basis for reasons relating to illness, military service, pregnancy and/or child care (please see the College of Health Graduate School Parental Leave Policy), residence outside the state of Utah, and work in process in which students are not in continual contact with their supervisory committee or other members of the faculty.
Leaves also may be granted on a yearly basis to students who, in the judgment of their department chair, are engaged in work considered beneficial to their academic goals, such as temporary teaching or professional employment that allows the student ultimately to complete the degree.
Leaves for other reasons may be granted and reviewed on a yearly basis when the student 's chair believes the leave is in the best interest of both the student and the University.

Students must apply for a Leave of Absence during a current semester by the last day of classes of that semester. They also must officially withdraw from classes in any semester for which a leave is granted. Failure to formally withdraw results in the reporting of E or EU grades for all classes.

The period during which a Leave of Absence is granted does not count toward the period allowed to complete the degree. Leaves are granted for a maximum of one academic year at a time. The Leave of Absence is void if a student registers for classes in a semester for which leave was granted.

Summer Term Registration

Continuous registration refers only to registration during the regular academic year and is not terminated or interrupted by non-registration during summer term. DPT students should, however, maintain registration status during summer term per curriculum schedule.